Cartridge-machine.



,298. I Patentd .27, mm. P. BUTLER; I

()AWI'BIDGE MACHINE. (Application filed Man-13, 1896.)

9' sums-sheet (No Model.)

No. 68|,298. Patented Aug. 27,190!

' P. BUTLER.

CARTRIDGQMAGHIN E.

(Applica tion filed Mar. 13, 1895.

9 Sheets-Shaet 2,

(No Model Paten'ted Aug. 277," i901.

P. BUTLEB.

CARTRIDGEJIIAGIHINE.

(Application m d Mar. is, 1595.

'(Nq Model.)

Patented'A'ug. 27, 190i. P. BUTLER.

CARTRIDGE MACHINE;

, (Application filed Mar. 13, 1895.) (No Model.)

llll llvwwdl lllr m. 58:,298, .Patented Aug. 27,- I901. P. BUTLER.

CARTRIDGE MACHINE.

' (Application filed Mar. 13, 1895.)

' 9 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

Patented Aug. 27, I901.

P. BUTLER. CARTRIDGE MACHINE. (Application filed" Mar. 13, 1895.)

9 Sheeis-Sheet 6.

m mam No. 68!,298. Patented-Aug. 2'7, [90L P. BUTLER.

CARTRIDGE MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 13, 1895.)

9 Sheets-Sheet -7.

(No Model.)

m. 681,298 Patented Aug. 27, |90|.--

P, BUTLER.

CARTRIDGE MACHINE.

(Application filed Mag; M95.) (Ho Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 8.

No. 68|,298. Patented Aug. 27, I90l. P. BUTLER. CARTRIDGE MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1895.)

9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

(No Model.)

Z? 4 Z mgv UNITED STATES ATENT eQFFICljZw PAUL BUTLER, or LOWELL, Mass- AcI-wsn'ms.v

GARTRI DG E-MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,298, datedhugust' e7, 1eo1.

Application filed March 13, 1895. Serial No. 541,654. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitfknown that I,PAUL BUTLER,of Lowell, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cartridge- Machines, ofi which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawiugs,is a specification,like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is embodied in a machine for assembling cartridge-shells such as are commonly used in shotguns and consist of a paper tube or body'to contain the charge, a metallic-base or head, which closes the breech end of the said tube, being cup-shaped, with the sides of the cup surrounding a portion of theend of thetube, and a reinforce or wad, which is driven into the breech end of the tube and compressed therein, so 'as" to strengthen the headaud firmly clamp the end of the tubular body between the said wad and the surrounding. side wall of the metallic cup.

Heretofore in making cartridge-shells of this kind these three parts-.-'namely-, the head, the body, and the wad--have been' made in separate machines and have been put togetheron assembled byaseries of difierent operations 'performedin difierent machines and involving a larg amount of hand labor,

The object of the present invention is to produce a single organized machine wherein all the operations of assembling the cartridgeshells are performed automatically, said 'machine also automatically producing a wad or reinforce at each operation, which is by the assembling dgvi e'e properly connected with a paper tube or body and 'metallic base or head, the latter of which parts of the completed shell are made in separate machines and are supplied in mass to the assemblingmachine forming the subject of this invention, which machine at each cycle of operations of the combined instriitnentalitiesproduces a wad and performs all of the operations necessary to make a wad and to'assemble a wad, body, and head, to thereby produce a completelyassembled cartridge-shell. The'-- several operations have to be produced (5onsecutively on some of the parts that are to produce a complete cartridge-shell; but these operations are performed simultaneouslyin a givenf-comp'lete cycle of movement of the machine on different blanks, so that oneblank' formed in'the prece diugopcrati'on'of thermachine, is now having the second operatiouperformed, and so on.

To facilitate the understanding of the ciflc mechanism of the-machine, a brief summary will be given of'the several operations to be performed and of the general character of the instrumentalities for performing them it being understood-"that the invention consists in novel features of construction and operation of these several iustrumentalities and in various combinations thereof with one another and with the actuating mechanism cured, butisnot limited in all cases to the specific arrangement of the instrumentalitics and order of operation involved in the ma-- chine-herein shown invention. r 1

It being understood that the paper tubes as'an embodiment of the for the body of the cartridge are made in a separate machine and that the metallic basepieces are made in a separate'm'achine and are supplied in mass to-a suitable hopper or is havingthe first operation performedwhile another, which had thefirst operation: per-- therefor, by which the desired results are scasserting device, which presents them in columninthe proper position to be acted upon periphery a series of such cavities and being actuated with an intermittent movement, so

'by the in'strumentalities of the machine, theas to, rotate the'distance between two caivities at each cycle of operation of the rnachiiie, it standing still while the operations are performed on the blanks contained in the cavities. These operations include the reducing of one end of the tube, so as to enable it to enter more readilyinto the head. This is done by suitable dies acting on a blank which has been previously deposited in the cavity of the carrier. Another operation which is performed in conjunction with a blank'ina more advanded cavity of the carrier which has already had the reducing ope-ration performed upon it is the thrusting of the reduced end of the tubeinto the metallic cupfor head, which is done byanother set of dies,- which may be called the tube inserting or assembling dies, and atthis operation the mouth of the tube is slightly expanded. to facilitate the entrance of the wad which has in the meantime been prepared by the Wad making and presenting portion of the machine. The wad itself is composed of a narrow strip of paper rolled into a compact .eoiL. This strip his cut from a web of paper the breadth of which is equal-to the length required for the strip. The web is intermittingly fed at each operation of the machine a distance equallto .thewidth required for the wad-strip, and a and head.

shear'or cutter is then operated to cut off such strip, which is then presented by a suitable device to awad-winder. This operation of cutting and feeding the wad-strip, it is to be understood, takes place at each cycle of operations while the reducing operation is being performed on a tube and the assembling operation on a previously-reduced tube A series of wad-strip Winders are supported upon a revolving carrier moved intermittingly and. in time with theblankcarrier, before mentioned. The strip-Winder by-which. the strip is wound into a coil to form the wad is a spindle which engages properly, with the wad-stripand winds it up into a compact roll or coil; the winding oper I ation taking place at a suitable point in the termittent feed movements a"transferr.er is operated, which transfersthe Wad from the wad-carrier into the open end of the tube.

The assembled head and tube, with the wad thus inserted in the mouth of the latter, are then advanced by the blank-carrier, and asl the next and final operation the wadis forced through the tube intothe base thereof and compressed in the latter by a punch which may be called the wad-driving punch.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cartridgeishell-assemblin'g machine embodying this inyention, showing mainly the top, right-hand side, and. front thereof; Fig. 2, an elevation thereof looking toward .the left-hand side of the machine; Fig. 3, an elevation looking toward the right-hand side of the machine, with portions bi 'oken .a'way; Fig.4, a plan viewthereof with the head-asserting mechanism removed; Fig. 5, a rear end elevation with a portionof the framework broken away to show the mechanism at the rear; Fig. 6, an

.enlarged sectional detail on line m, Fig. 4;

Fig. 7, a sectional detail on line m Fig. 3;

Fig.8, .afro'nt end elevation with a portion of I m me v the framework broken away to show the working parts at the rear; Fig. 9, a sectional detail on line at, Fig.v 4, showing in rear elevation the wad-punch, carrier, and parts connected therewith; Fig. 10,.a sectional detail on line Fi 4, showin the wad windin and carrying mechanism and some of the de:

vices cooperating therewith; Fig. 11, an en-' larged sectional detailon line m,Fig.10, illustrating the operation of transferring the wad from the wad-winder to the other component parts of the cartridge-shell; Fig. 12, a perspective view of a portion of the carrier for the wad-winders and adjacent parts cooperating therewith; Fig. 13, an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail of one of the Wad-winding devices; Fig. 14, an end elevation thereof;

Figs. 15, 16,17,and l8,details,on a largerscale, showing the several dies or punches and illustrating the operations thereof on the components of the cartridge-shell; Fig. 19, a sec tion of the blank-carrier; Fig. 20, a detail inperspective of the feed mechanism. for supplying the metallic base pieces or heads; Figs. 21 and 22, front" and side elevations, respectively, of the portion of the chute through which the said metallic base-pieces pass from the hopper to the blank-carrier; and Fig. 23, a

. section of the head-assorteron line (1: Fig. 2.

' Thegeneralarrangement ofthe main groups andinstrumentalities are best shown in Fig. 1, said parts being supportedon a suitable frameA and operated by a main transverse power-shaft B, which connects by beveled gearing C (see Fig. 2) with a longitudinal shaft D, thathas the same speed of rotation as the main shaft B.

The cylindrical blanks R to form the body of the cartridge-shell are supplied in a column in the feed-chute E, from which they are taken one at a time by the blank-carrier F, and the metallic base-pieces S are supplied from an assorter Gr, so as to be fed onev at a time to said carrier F, and the strips to form the wads '1 (see Fig; 11) are cut and fed by the mechanism shown at K, Fig. 1, and the wad-strips are wound and carried to the proper point to be assembled with the previously-assembled body and head portions by the wad winding and carrying mechanism M. The blank-carrier F, wherein the assembling operations are mainly performed, is in the form of a wheel the periphery of which is provided'with a series of transverse pockets or recesses a, said carrier having an intermittent rotary movement by which it advancesat each operation a distance equal to the space between two of the recesses ct, it standing still during the greater portion of the time of a single rotation of the main drivingshaft B of the machine. Thewad-carrier M is also in the form of a wheel having a series of wad-winding devices, which will hereinafter be described, arranged around its periphery, and the said wheel also has an in t'ermittent feed movement in time with that wheel b of the blank-carrier of a distance equal t the space between two of the wad-winding devices on its periphery.

The intermittent feed mechanism for the blank-carrier and the wad-carrier is best shown in Fig. 3, and comprises a single tooth provided with a stop-disk bicooperating with the concave peripheral sections 1) of said feed-wheel, so as to lock the same against rotation during the remainder or greater part of each rotation of the main shaft.

The wad-carrier M is fixed to the shaft 12 of the feed-wheel, and its several wad-winders are spaced to correspond with the notches b of the feed-wheel, so that said wad-carrier is advanced. intermittingly with the feedonce at each rotation of the main shaft B greater portion of each rotation of,the main shaft. The said shaft 31 of the feed-wheel is connected bygearingczfic with shaft a of the blank-carrier, which thus has an intermittent feed in time with the wad-carrier, but has a larger number of such feed movements to a single rotation,as the blank-recesses-on its periphery are more numerous than the wadwinders on the periphery of the wad-carrier. At the end of each intermittent feed movement the said blank-carrier stops withv one of its pockets to in a position to receive a paper cylinder or body-blank It from the blank feed chute E and at each intermittent advance carries said blank forward toward the points at which the several consecutive operations are performed thereon, at the same time bringing the next pocket in position 'to receive another .blank, so that a blank is supplied to the blank-carrier at each rotation of the main shaft 13. While the blank-carrier is at rest between the two feed operations a blank which has been supplied at a previous period of rest is acted upon by the reducanother blank still farther ing punch or die (Z,(see Figs. 8. and 15,) and in advance, which has been reduced at aprevious operation by said reducingpunch,is inline with the feedchannel't, (see Fig. 20,) containing a column of the metallic base-pieces S, properly positioned, so that the lowermost one falls into a recess cz' in the periphery of the feedwvlieel, with its open end toward and in line with the pre iously reduced end of tho body-blank, and a reeessfarther in advance, which has thus been supplied at previous operations with a reduced body-blank and base-piece, isv in line with the assemblingqpunch or die (Z Figs. 5 and 17, and another recess stilffarand is held stationary during thether in advance is in position to receive a Wad from the wad-carrier by the action of a transferrer e, and another still farther in advance, containing the assembled body and head and a properly-wound wad transferred into the 'open end of the body-tube, is in position to be acted upon by the compactingpunch c Figs. 8, 9, and 18, which rams the wad to the base of the shell and compacts it therein, so as to properly unite the three components of the assembled shell. Thus all the operations necessary to supply the blank-carrier with the component parts of the shell and to properly assemble .the said component parts maybe performed at one time while said consecutively, the body-blank being first deposited in the carrier, then at a later opera tion reduced, then a base-blank deposited in the carrier,.then the body and base assembledi. a, the reduced end of the former thrust into the latter-then a wad supplied, and then said Wad compacted inthe base of the shell, and,fiually,the' completely-asse1i1- bled shell is detached from the blank-carrier by a clearing-finger or ejector 6 Fig. 8, operated in harmony with the transferrer and compacting-punch. fl}hese operations of assembling the components of the cartridgeshell and the means for performing them do not depend necessarily upon the means for producing the wads, which,,so far as the operations thus far described are concerned,

might be prod need in a separate machine and properly fed to the wad -carrier and transferred therefrom to the blank-carrier at the proper time either before or after the assembling of the blank tube and head, and before describing" the appliances for producing the wads in an organized machinejor assembling the cartridge-blanks the further details of the mechanism for assembling will be described. From the foregoing description it is evident that it is necessarythat the various devices that act upon-the blanks or components of the cart-ridge-sheel at the different stages before described should be actuated during the time that the carrier stands at rest, betweenits feed movements. The mechanis by which this is done is as follows: i 2 The reducing-punch (Z and the assemblingpunch (1 being connected with a punch carrier or slide-bar (1 Working transversely to the plane of rotation of the blank-carrier and'actuated' by the cam d (seeFi-g. 8) on the main 10ngitudinal shaft D,

arm (I of an elbow-lever pivoted at d and having its other arm d 'connected by the link" with the die-carrier or slide-bar is properly 0011' a back-and-forth or pitman d (1 The-actuating-oam d structed to give the bar (I said cam acting upon one are both operated simultaneously, 7

reciprocation during that portion of the ro- Y tation of the main shaft while the blank-carrier stands at rest, and in the forward movement (from right to left in Fig. 8) said dies at (2 act upon the open or forward ends of the blanks to perform the necessary operations thereon, as will be readily understood from Figs. 15 and 17. In the forward or right-to-left movement of the die-carrier the die or punch-d in cooperation with a stationary female die d supported on a bracket (1 on the framework, reduces or compresses the end of the tubular body of the cartridgeshell, as shown in Fig. 15, and at the reverse or left-to-right movement of the said die-carrier,which is produced by springs (1 C1 (see Fig. 8,) an ejector (Z pushes the reduced blank out from the female die d (see Fig. 16,) depositing it again in the recess of the blank-carrier, by which it is advanced'to the position to receive the metallic head of the shell. The movement of the ejector c1 is sufficient, as shown in Fig. 16, to push the adjacent end of' the blank beyond the adjacent edge of the carrier Fa distance equal to the height of'the cup or head, so that the latter may drop into the recess of the carrierwheel past the end of the blank It when the latter arrives at the feed-chute for the headpieces before arriving at the inserting-punch d After the ejector (Z has advanced to the position shown in Fig. 16 it must be withdrawn clear of the recess in the carrier-wheel, so as to permit the feed movement of the latter to take place, and the actuating-cam d is so shaped as to give the extreme forward- (or right-to-left, Fig. 8) movement, followed by the extreme backward movement, and then a slight forward movement enough to withdraw the ejector (P from the recess in the feed-wheel, followed by a dwell'in which the die-carrier remains stationary-and the feed movement of the blank-carrier wheel takes place. A guard-plate (1, supported from the stationary die d presses frictionally on the blank and prevents it from being withdrawn from the carrier either by the reducing-punch d or by the action of the ejec tor d. The same forward movement of the die-carrier d that caused the reducing-punch d to operate, as has just been described, also causes the inserting punch or die (I (which acts in line with a recess of the blank-carrier beyond the head-feeding mechanism G and which has been previously supplied with a reduced blank and head) to insert the said reduced blank into the metallic head, as shown in Fig. 17, the head or base of the cartridge being supported against the thrust of the inserting-punch d by a suitable abutment d l, (see Figs. 4:, 18,- and 20,) supported on the bracket (1 of the framework. The end of the inserting-punch d that enters the tubular blank is made tapering and acts .to expand the mouth of the blank slightly, so that the wad will be more readily received therein. Suitable guards are provided for said shaft D.

keeping the blanks seated in the pockets in therefrom, act to retain the bodies and headpieces in the cavities.

While the operations of assembling the tubular body and head'preparatory to receiving the wad have been performed by the mechanism thus far described, the wads are themselves prepared, one at each rotation of the main shaft, by the following mechanism, the position of which is shown at K and M, Fig. 1, and the details of which are best shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7.

The wads are formed from narrow strips cut from a web P of paper supported on suitable pivots P P at the left-hand side of the machine, (see Fig. 2,) the suppoitingstanda'rd of the latter being adjustable toward and from the former toaccommodate webs of different width, the width of the web being what is required for the lengtlnof the strip to form a single wad, The said web is intermittingly advanced a distance equal to the width required for the wad-stripby means of feed-rollsfj' working in suitable bearings and actuated intermittingly from the longitudinal driving-shaft D by the following mechanism, (best shown in Fig. 5 A ratchetwhcelf loose on the shaft of the lower feedrollf, is acted upon by a pawl operated by a pawl-carrier f which is an arm loosely pivoted on the shaft or axis of the feed-roll fand connected by a link f with a lever f pivoted atf and acted upon by a camf on The said ratchet is connected by gears 1 with the shaft of the upper feedroll, which is rotated intermittingly at'each rotation of the main shaft D and stands at rest in the interval between the feed movements, during which interval a strip is cut oif from the end of the web and advanced by the feed-rolls, as will be hereinafter described. In order to insure the proper guidance of the. web in its feed movement, the feed-rolls are pressed against the web by a spring-pressed bearing 9 for the upper feedroll at the right-hand end thereof, as seen in'Fig. 2, while the corresponding hearing at theother end is acted upon by a weighted lever 9 (see Fig. 5,) the pressure of which is automatically varied as follows: The said lever is partially supported by a pair of loosely-connected links g Fig. 2, the lower end of the former being pivot-ed on the framework and the two being of such length that when in line with one another they lift the weighted lever 57*, so as to substantially remove its pressure from the upper feed-roll hearing; but when slightly out of line, as shown in Fig. 2, they permit-the said weighted lever to act on the said-bearing. In. other words, these links 9 g constitute substantially a toggle joint or lever, which may act to raise the weighted pressure-lever, and are operated to lift the said weight to a greater or less extent by the lateral movement of the jointbetween the links, which is controlled by the grooved guide wheel or clip g that engages with the edge of the web P and is adjustably mounted on the finger 9', connected with the joint of the toggle-lever g g. Th us if the paper through an uneven feed at the two ends tends to run toward the side where the toggle-joint is located it will tend to straighten said toggle-joint, and thus tend to relieve the pressure of the feed-rolls Rt that end, causing the rolls to feed more effectively near the other end, and thus to straighten the webjwhile a reverse deviation of the web from the desired path-that is, a running thereof toward the side away from the toggle-joint-will produce an opposite effect, increasing the pressure of the weighted lever on the adjacent end of the feedrolls and causing them to feed more effectively, and thus to straighten the movement of the web. The mechanism just described thus constitutes an automatic compensating feed mechanism by which the proper guidance of the paper is controlled by properly regulating the feed to insure the desired movement.

If desired, a similar means for varying the pressure of the rolls might be applied at both ends, one tending to increase the pressure, while the other diminishes the pressure at its end; but in practice it is found suilicient to vary the pressure at one end only relative to that at the opposite end, which may remain substantially constant at a suitable mean pressure to insure certainty of feed.

' The web of paper after passing through the feed-rolls extends over a support or cutting-table H (see Fig. 4 and sectional detail, Figs. 6 and 7) and projects over the edge of said-table, which cooperates with the cutting-shear it, which is'a long blade pivoted at h and counterbalanced, as shown in Fig. 3, its free end beingsupported in a suitable guide its, and said cutter being operated at each rotation of the main shaft by means of a link 72 connected with the cutter-blade and provided with an eccentric-strap encircling an eccentric 7r on a short transverse shaft 7t, connected by equal beveled gearing h' (see Figs. 2'and 5) with the longitudinal shaft D, so that said eccentric makes one rotation and produces one upand-do'wn vibration of the shear or cutter blade It at each rotation of the main shaft of the machine, thereby cutting a wad strip or blank T Figs. 6, 10, .12, and 14, from the end of the web, said strip being of a length equal to the width of the web and of a width equal to the length of feed movemeutof the web produced at each intermittent rotary movement of the feed-- The wad-- rolls f f as before described. strip thus cut falls upon a wad-strip-supportingtable H which extends along parallel to the edge of the web, said strip then being in positiomtcrbe acted upon by the wad-stripfeeding mechanism, consisting of a series of slidesik Fig. 3, working in guides in the said table Iii-said slides having shoulders Fig. 6, which when the slides are in rearmost position are substantially in line with or at the rear of the line of action of the cutter, so that the wad-strip T when out falls onto the table H in such a position as to be in front of said shoulders k of the feed-slides when the latter are in rearmost position preparatory to beginning their forward or feeding movement. The said feed-slides are reciprocated back and forth transversely to the table by means of racks 70 (see Fig. 6,) connected with or formed upon their under surfaces, engaged with pinions k on a shaft 75, which has an intermittentback-andsforth rotary movement produced by apinion k, (see Fig. 7,) meshing with a toothed sector k on an arm having its bearing at k and being oscillated by a cam 70 on the main longitudinal shaftD. The feed-slides,as before stated, are in their rearmost position atthe time when the cutter descends and arethereafter winding devices (best shown in Figs. 10 to M) supported in the pcripheryeof the intermittingly-op'erated wad-carrier M, before mentioned.

The wad-carrier M is in the form of a wheel the periphery of which is recessed, so as to afford two bearings for the wad-yvinding spindle n', Fig. 11, which has a rotary movement in said bearings, as will be described hereinafter. The end of said spindle which projects beyond the plane of the side of the wheel is longitudinally slotted or madein advanced to present the'strip. to the wadthe form of a fork or, between the prongs of which the wad-strip T' is inserted when advanced by the feeding devices. 0 70 before mentioned. The slotted end 0f-said wind-- ing-spindle is surrounded by a thimble or wad-chamber a which is fastened to the side'of the wad-carrying wheel, so as to have no rotary movement with relation thereto, and is also transversely slotted, as shown, the said wheel being stopped at the end of its intermittent feed movement before mentioned with one of these thimbles with its slot in line with the edge of the table H from which the wad-strip is fed, so that saidstrip is insert-ed laterally into the slot of the thimble n and stands with its ends projecting from the sides of said thimhle. The T0- tary movement of the winding-spindle '7 L is so controlled that it also stands with its slot 91 in line with that of the thimble at the time when the strip is fed, so that the said strip passes laterally into the slot of the spindle as well as into that of the thimble, so that thereafter arotary movement of said 'spindle'will of the winding-spindles.

gear at is mounted upon an adjustable arm 5o justed up or down.

wind the strip upon it, drawing theend portions of the strip in through the slots of the thimble in so winding the strip, which is of such length that'when closely wound upon 5 the spindle it willsubst antially fill the space between the spindle and t-himble. The web of paper and the feed-rolls thereforare preferably mounted transversely to.the axis of the wad-winding spindle, so that the strip when out will fall in the proper position to be laterally inserted in the slot therein by a single" movement in one direction. To effect and control the rotary movement of the said spindle n, an independent rotating device 1s provided therefor and adapted to cooperate therewith after it has been advanced by the carrier. As herein shown, the said spindle n is provided at its inner end with a head or enlargement n (see Fig. 11,) connected by 2 pin or stud n with a pulley n, which runs in the space formed in the periphery of the wadfeed wheel and which when rotated will cause'the winding-spindle 'n to be also rotated,

and thus to wind the wad-strip around the forked end of the said spindle and into the surrounding thimble. The rotating device proper is herein shown as a friction-wheel n situated at a pointin advance of the stripfeeding table'in the direction of rotation of the carrier, said wheel being driven by gearing 71 11 71 (see Figs. 3 and 10) from the main shaft 13, the periphery of said wheel 12 engaging with one of the pulleys n" at the time when the \\'ad;carrier is stopped at the 5 end of its intermittent feed movement, and

.thus giving the corresponding winding-spin- (1 le rapid rotation, so that thestrip is quickly wound into the thimhle. The bearings n of the friction driving-wheel n are verti- 0 cally adjustable in brackets or pedestals n by means'of set-screws or equivalent devices, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, in order to enable the said friction-wheel n to engage effectively with the pulleys n The intermediate form a part, the said wad-winding device is provided with an ejecting-plunger 0, which substantially fills the annular space between the winding-spindle nand bor' of the t'himble at the rear of the slotted portions thereof,

66 said plunger 0 being connected with a tubular spindle 0 which incloses the head 12 of the windingspindle and is slotted,- as shown at 0 for the passage of the stud a that connects the spindle 'n and its actuating-pulley n, the said slot 0 thus permitting the independent longitudinal movement of tho hollow shaft 0 and ejector 0, by which the latter may be forced outward over the slotted per.-

tion of the spindle to thus eject the wad from of the driving-wheel n for the winding-spindie, as follows: The said spindle o is provided with an elongated or cam-shaped head 0 which, in conjunction with suitable stationary guides 0 0 ,(see Fig. 12) on the framework,will cause the spindle to be turned whatever amount is required from the position in which it is left by the winding-wheel n to the position in which its slot is in line with that of the'thimble when it comes to rest in position to receive the wad-strip. The said guide 0 is somewhat yielding, so as not to engage too harshly with the cam-head 0 if it should strike the said guide 0 in some unfavorable position, and in traveling along the said guide 0 as the carrier makes its intermediate movement the said earn-head 0' will be brought to approximately the right position and will leave the end of the yielding cam-plate 0 in position to run flatwise onto the substantially rigid cam plate 0 against which the longer side of the camhead 0 rests when the carrier stops with the corresponding spindle in position to receive the wad-strip from the wad-feeding slides 70. This turning ofzthe winding-spindle to position it to receive the wad-strip is of course effected by the movement of the entire wadwinding device with the wad-carrier as that is fed from point to point between the successive operations, and at the next movement after the wad-strip has been inserted the cam-head o of the winding device that has just been supplied with a strip in passing off from the stationary cam c has imparted to it a slight rotary movement, which begins the winding of the strip enough to bend it sharply between the slot of the tllilne ble, as shown in Fig. 14:, and that oftthe spindle, so that the latter securely holds the strip until acted upon by the actuating-wheel n Thispartial initial wjndin g to insure the holding of thestrip bythe winding-spindle is produced by the edge of the cam 0, off from which the cam-head 0" passes, being made springy, and so as to press against the camhead, which thusmeoeives a sudden rotary impulse as it passes oif from the said cam plate. A spring 0 (see Fig. 11,) interposed between the head n of the winding-spindle and the cam-head o of the hollow-shaft spindle, tends to keep the ejector in retracted position, but is compressed when the said ejector is operated by the transferrer c, which acts upon one of the wad-winding devices after it has passed beyond the position in which.

IIO

. at the same time the puncn e with the more advanced recess of the blank:

it was operated by the actuating-wheel If and when it arrives at the end of one of its tains the assembled body and head portion as the result of the operations previously described.

The remaining operations are the trans ference of the wound wad from the winder into the end of the tubular blank in the carrying-wheel, performed by the ejector 0, before described, and the 'transferre'r e, and the ramming of said wadto the bottoinof the blank and condensing it therein, performed by the punch e*, as shown in Fig. 18, and the final ejection of the completely-assembled shell from the blank-carrier by the ejector c, all of which latter devices are operated simultaneously and act upon the materials at difierent stages of advance of the blank-carrier, being actuated as follows: These devices are all properly connected with a carrier or slide bar a", Figs. 8 and 9, workingin suitable guides transversely of the machine and actuated by cams e 6 (see Fig. 8) on the main longitudinal. shaft D the surfaces of which cams act upon rolle on a yoke 6, connected with said. slide or a rrier e". lhus the carrier is reciproeated ach rotation of the main shaft, and in its for .rard movement (from right to left, Fig. 8) the transferrer 3 acts on the end of the wad-ejector spindle and causes the latter to eject the wad from the Wad-winder and transfer it into the end of the tubular body p viously inserted in the inetallic head and now supported in a recess in the blank-carries, as shown n 11, while acts in'line carrier upon a blank into which a wad has been transferred, as just described, at a pro vious operation of the'niachine, and drives the-same to thebase orbreeeh of theeartridgeshelland condenses it there, as shown in Fig. 18, thus completing the assemblage oi the cartridge-shell, while at the same operation the ejector or deta-cher '6 dislodges a @0111 p1eted sh'ell fromits recess inthe blank-carrier, sdthatitfztlls into a suitable receptacle below. s Y, I 7 From the foregoing description it is obvious' that the essential features of construction andioperation do not depend upon the 'Tmechanieal'details of' -the mechanism emt nedrical drum or hopper U, which is rotated to agitate the mass of blanks by means of a belt '0 driven by a pulley v on the main shaft D. (See Fig. 2.) The said cylindrical hopper is placed in inclihed position, as shown, and sun-mounts a flat chamber 1 of sufficient height to receive the netallic cups when resting on their closed ends. The hopper-drum u is open at its lower end, so that the cups contained therein rest on the plate that constitutes the floor of the chambers, and the said drum 1: is provided at one or more points around itslower edge with notches or recesses U (see Fig. 23) ofjust sufficient width to permit the small or open end of the cup to pass through, but too' narrow to permit the pas sage of the flange at the base or closed end of the cup that cooperates with the extractor of the gun in the finished cartridge. The lower end of the drum is at a sutiieientheight from the floor of the chamber '1) to permit the passage of the flange of the cup beneath the edge of the drum, the result being'that as the drum rotates in the inclinedposition shown the cups"gravitate toward the lower part of its side wall and tend to fall into the gates or passages 11 as the latter-pass in the rotation of the drum, and any cup that thus presents itself to the passage v while resting with its closed end on the floor will readily pass throughthe said passage by gravitatioinwhile a cup presented in any other positionas, for example, resting on its open end-will be unable to pass through the opening and will be carried around by the drum until dislodged by collision with other cups in the mass or until carried up far enough to gravitate back with-atumbling movement, by which it is likely to be turned over, so as to rest on its closed end, ready to pass through the next time it encounters one of the openings v Thus the cups are gradually assorted from shown,- thus producing a tepdency for the cups, to be brought into line as they gravitate toward the lowerendof the chamber, which is provided with an outlet leadin to the chute, in which-cups areto be broug htin column for delivery'to the blank-carrier, as before described.

. In order to insure the deliveryof the cups in line or column, the lower end of the chamber 17*, toward which they converge bi; ravitation, is of such width that two of t cups cannot be wedged therein, so as to block up the remainder. of the mass, and below this opening is a transversely-sliding gate-piece 0, having an opening of sufficient size allow a singlecup to pass through somewhat readily, but too narrowto admit of two cups becoming wedged therein. The said gatepieceis vibrated at a moderate speed across the lower end of the chamber 1) by means of a link r connected with a wrist-pin '1)", retated from the drum or hopper r by a friction-wheel 12 that bears against the surface 7 The mass of cups in the of said hopper. chamber o tend to gravitate against the gate '0, and the movement of the latter insures sutficient agitation of the cups resting against it to insure their passing through the opening in the said gate, which in its traversing movement will almost certainly come in line with some cup bearing against the gate, so that the said cup will pass through into the chute below, the fioor of which is continuous wit lithe floor of the chamber 1" and hopper t. In order that the vibratory movement of the gate v may not throw the cups that pass through it out of line and in order to insure the bringing of the cups into a single line, as well as to increase their tendency to slide by gravitydown the floor of the chute below the gate v the side walls 1:" of the chute or guideway onto which the blanks pass al'ter emerglng from the gate o' are connected at their upper ends to the said gate, and thus partake of its vibratory movement, thesaid side Walls being confined against lateral movement at' their lower ends, being either pivoted or made thereof can be seen and can fast and sufficiently yielding to provide for the vibratory movement of their upperends. Thus the cups are all brought into lineas they arrive at the lower end of the inclined chute and pass therefrom into. thevertical' chute that leads down to the blank-carrier wheel F. The lower portion .t of the said guide, which leads directly to the feed-wheel, is connected with the upper portion by a hinge-joint, as shown at for the purposeot' enabling the said bottom portion to be adjusted with relation to the side portions to deliver base-pieces of different size to the blank-feed wheel as maybe required for different sizes and styles of cartridge-shells. The floor or portion of thevertical ehute 6 against which the base or closed end of the cup rests is provided at its upper end with a rounded projection :5 which comes just be.

low the angle between the inclined and ver tical portions and enables the blanks to pass smoothly around this angle without clogging or having their position changed. The front 6 of the vertical portion of the chute is slotted, as shown, so that the cups at the rear. be moved along if at anytime it saidfront is adjustably connected with the rear or main portion, so that it may be set to accommodate cups of different heights. he

said chute terminates at a point the dis} tance of which from the bottom of any given recess is substantially supported by the walls of the chute and prevented from being carried forward by said wheel until one of said recesses comes under the said chute in the intermittent feed of the should be necessary, and

equal to the diameter of a head, so that as the column of blanks in wheel, between two recesses thereof, iintil the next recess comes in line, and the blank then lowermost drops therein. In order to prevent damage in case one of the metalpic blanks is improperly formed or improperly engaged with the feed-wheel, the side of the chute at whiehthe blank leaves the same'in the movement of the feed-wheel is provided with a yielding gate 1!, which opens outward and permits the blank to escape if it becomes clogged or improperly engaged with the feedwheel.

described is capable of turning out a very large product, it is desirable to provide-for adjustahility necessary working parts-such, for example, as the dies, punches, tire-to enable the ma chine to be used upon different kinds or sizes of cartridge-shells. Such provision for adjustment is made throughout in the present machine and has in some cases been referred to in describing the working parts. For example, the wad-strip cutting and feeding applian ces are adjustable to accommodate webs of different width, thus producing wad-strips of different length, and the feed movement of said web maybe adjusted by adjusting the position of the cam-roll in the arm j", that actuates the ratchet of the intermittent feed, thus enabling wad-strips of different width to be cut. The thimbles n of the wad-w'nding devices are detachable from the wadarrier M, so that thimbles of different size can be used when required-as, for example,when a change is made in the gage of the cartridgeshells being operated upon. The several punches or dies d d e? (Z are all readily removable, so that others of difierent size can 5 As a machine of the kind herein shown and of parts or interchange of the be substituted when necessary, and the female reducing-die d is also removable from I I its supporting-block, as clearly shown in Figs. 1-5 and 16. The said die d preferably bears against and is. positioned ,by a bolt d 9 provided with alock 'nut d 9 carrier wheel F is constructed to provide for adj ustabilitygn thicknes's or to accommodate I The m'ain bl'ankblank-tubes 0?" different length, as is best shown in Fig. 19. The said wheel is made of two parts a a the formerfol' which is keyed or otherwise made fast upon the actuating-shaft and is connected by pins a in the web portion of the wheel with the portion a of the wheel, the said pins connecting the two portions of the wheel for rotary movement, but permitting them'to be moved toward or from one another in a direction parallel to the axis of notation. The web of the portion (L5 of the wheel is engaged with a shouldered nut (17, that screws upon a threaded portion of the hub of the portion a of the wheel, so that by turning the said nut a along the said hub the portion a of the wheel may be moved laterally with relation to the portion 0;, thus lengthening or shortening the pockets 0. in the periphery of the wheel. A lock-nut a screws upon an external thread on the nut c so as to clamp the web of the portion a .of the wheel between said nut a and the shoulder of the nut a and when the said nut a is tightened it restrains itself and the nut of against rotary movement with relation to the portion a of the wheel, and thus with relation to the portion a of the wheel, and thus locks the parts in adjusted position. If necessary to change the width of the wheel to work on blanks of different length, it is necessary only to loosen the nut of and then turn the nut at until the proper adjustment is reached and then to tighten the nut (1 again.

While all of the instrumentalities herein- .before described cooperate in the complete organized machine to perform all desired op- .erations automatically and in proper order,

instrumentalit-ies in such complete organized machine, .as many of the instrumentalities the cup or assembled with the cup. The appliances for cutting the wad-strip and making the wads vfrom a web of paper, as herein described, might be employed without the aS-; sembling appliances, and, on the other hand, the assembling appliances might be employed without the wad forming and feeding appliances, it being necessary only in such case to supply the feed-chute E with blank-tubes already supplied with wads, as has been done heretofore.

I claim 1. The combination of the blank-carrier and means for advancing the same,with means for supplying cylindrical blanks and corresponding cup-shaped blanks thereto, at different points in its movement, and dies for reducing the end of the cylindrical blank before it arrives at the point of supply of the cup-shaped :blank, and means for subsequently inserting the said reduced cylindrical blank into the cup-shaped'blank, and actuating mechanism therefor, substantially as described.

.2. The combination of a carrier for the heads and bodies consisting of a wheel having a se-' end of the body, means for inserting said re duced inner end into a corresponding head, an

expanding-die for the outer end of the body,

and a reciprocating die-carrier adapted to operate during the periods between the intermittent feed movements of said carrier for the heads and bodies, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a carrier for the heads and bodies having an intermittent feed movement, with a reciprocating die-carrier; a stationary reducing-die; a cooperating reducing-die on said die-carrier; and an ejector for removing the reduced body-blank from the stationary die, substantially as described. 5. The combination with a carrier for the blanks comprising a rotatable disk mounted on a horizontal shaft and provided with laterally open recesses on its periphery and having an intermittent feed movement, of a wad- ,the invention is-not limited to-the use of said carrier adjacent to said disk and also having an intermittent feed movement aroundahorizontal axis, whereby the wadsare successively brought opposite the ends of'the blanks contained in said recesses, and means for transferring the wad from said wad-carrier into the said blank, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the blank-carrier and means for supplying the same with a tubular body, and metallic cup or base-piece, with the wad-carrier and means for transferring the wad from said wad-carrier into the tubular body in the blank-carrier, and a punch for forcing said wad to the base ofsaid tubular body, substantially as described; I

7. The combination with a carrier for the heads and bodies, of means for inserting the body in the head, a wad-carrier, and a device for inserting the wad into the body and head thus assembled, as described.

8. The combination of means for assembling the head and body of a cartridge-shell, with a wad-carrier having winding devices for forming wads of strips of paper fed thereto,

IIO

and an ejector for removing the wads from having an intermittent feed movement and adapted to carry the wads consecutively to a position in line with one of the bodies in its carrier, and an ejector fordisengaging the wad from the wad-carrier and inserting the said body, as set forth.

10. The combination with a carrier for the heads and bodies havingan intermittent'fee'd it into movement, of devices operating at the periods when saidcarrier is stationary to asse mble said heads and bodies, a wad-carrier also having an intermittent feed movement and adapted to carry the wads consecutively to a position in line with one of the bodies in its carrier; an ejector for disengaging the wad from the wad-carrier and inserting it into the said body, and a'punch for forcing the wad thus inserted into the base of the tubular body, as described.

11. The combination with a movable carrier for the heads and bodie of a cartridge- -shell, of a reducing-die for t e inner end of said bodies, an expanding-die and actuator 'for expanding the month or outer ends of said recesses each adapted to contain a blank or one part thereof, as the body; ahub for said disk having a flanged sleeve screw-threadedand longitudinally adjustable thereon; a supplementalwheel or disk mounted onsaid sleeve, and. having corresponding transverse recesses-in line with those of the other wheel also adapted to contain a blank or a portion thereof,- as the head; means for preventing independent rotary movement of said wheels, and means for clampin' said sleeve'when adjusted, substantially as lescribed.

13. The web-feeding, mechanism comprisinga pair of feed-rolls; means for pressing I the feed-rolls together; and means controlled by the edge ofthe Web for varying the pressure near one end relative to that near. the

other end of the feed-rolls, substantially as and for the purpose described.

14. The combination of thevweb-feed rolls with a weighted lever or equivalent for press-v ing the rolls together near one end thereof, a toggle-joint controlling-the pressure of' said lever and itself governed by the edge of the web being fed; substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. In a device for feeding a web of paper, consisting of feed-rolls between which said web is fed, the herein-descri ed compensating feedi g mechanismconsisting of a weight or sprin, adapted to hold the end of the upper roll in contact'with' the lower roll, a lever adaptedto counteract the force of said weight and relieve the pressure thereof upon said upper roll, and an actuator for said lever in contact with the edge of the Web, as and for the purposedescribed;

1.6. The combination with a strip-feeding device, ofa winding-spindle adapted to receive the-strip from said device, an intermittingly-fed carrier for said spindle,a device for giving a rotary impulse to the spindle during the forward movement of the carrier, and

means for rotating said spindle while the carrier is stationary to completely wind the strip thereon,isubstantially as described.

17. Thehe'rein-described wad-making mech anism comprising a transversely-slotted thimble, a slotted spindle free to rotate within said thimble, an intermittingly-fed carrier for said thimble, feed mechanism for feeding'a strip of paper edgewise into both said slots, a device for givinga momentary rotaryimpulse to said spindle during the feed movement of said carrier, and means for rotating said spindle while said carrier is stationary, until said strip is completely wound into the thimble, substantially as described.

18. A wad-making device consisting of a series of wad-winders each comprising a slotted spindle provided with a pulley and mounted to rotate within a slotted thimble but normally stationary with relation thereto; acarrier for the said spindles and thimbles; 'intermittent feed mechanism for the said carrier; and an actuating-wheel at a point to which the said spindles are successively carried by the intermittent movements of the said carrier said'wheel being adapted to engage and rotate the pulley on the slotted spindle, substantially as described.

19. The herein-described wad-making mechanism, comprising a transversely-slotted thimble or cylinder,- t-he bore of which is equal to, the diameter of thewad'to be made; a spindle also having a transverse slot and within and concentric with said thimble and adapted to rotate therein; an automatic feeding device for feeding a strip of paper edgewise into said slots; a carrier for the Wad-making device; means for bringing the slot in the spindle into alinement with that in the thimble when the said wad-making device is in position-to have the paper strip fed thereto; and" an independent rotating device for said spindle normally disconnected therefrom but adapted to codperate therewith after the paper strip has been thus fed and the spindle advanced a predetermined distance by said carrier; substantially as described.

. 20. The herein-described wad-making mechanism comprising a transversely-slotted thimble and winding-spindle also having a. transverse slot; and mounted to rotate withinsaid spindle; a carrier for said thimble and spindle having intermittent feed mechanism; a cam-head connected with said spindle, a camplate engaging said cam-head when the said. carrier has reached a predetermined position, the cooperation of said earn-head and camplate .thusbringing the slot in the spindle into line with that in the thimble, and feed mechanism for feedinga strip of paper edge wise into said slots, substantially as described.

21.- The herein-described Wad-making mechanism comprising a transversely-slotted thimble and a winding-spindle also having a transverse slot, and mounted to rotate within said the cooperation of said cam-head and camplate thus bringingthe slot in the spindle into line with that in the. thimble, feed mechanism for fe'edinga strip of paper edgewise into said slots, and a secondary engaging portion of the said cam-plate adapted by its engagement with the cam-head to partially-rotate the said spindle at the next movement of'the said carrier, substantially as described.

22. Wad-making mechanism, which comprises a support for a web of paper; feedrolls for feeding the said web of paper; a shear substantially parallel to the axis of the web-support to cut a narrow strip from the end of the web; a'transversely-slotted thimble or cylinder the bore of which is equal to the diameter of the wad to be made; a spindle within and concentric with said thimble and having a transverse slot to correspond with the slot of the thimble; and means for inserting the strip cut from the end of the web into the slots in said thimble and spindle, substantially as described.

23. The combination of the slotted windingspindle and means for rotating the same, and the relatively stationary slotted thimble; with feed-rolls for a web of paper of the width required for the length of the strip which is to be wound, said feed-rolls being mounted transversely to the axis of said spindle; a cutter to cut a strip from the paper fed thereto; feeding mechanism adapted to operate upon the strip thus cut for feeding same to said thimble and spindle; a traveling carrier for said thimble and spindle; a cam connected with said spindle; and acam-plate cooperating therewith during. the travel of the carrier for bringing the slot in the spindle into line with that in the thimble, to permit the feed 0! the paper strip thereto, substantially as described. v

24. A wad-making device comprising a wadwinder consisting of .a slotted spindle pro- .vided with a pulley and mounted to rotate within a slotted thimble but normally sta-- tiouary with relation thereto; a-carrier for said wad-winder; and an independentlydriven actuating-wheel adapted at a certain period in thetravel of'saidearrier to engage and rotate the pulley on the saidislotted spindle, substantially as described.

' by the head and body assembled are positioned to receive the wad when'thus ejected, as set forth.

26. The wad-carrier consisting of a disk or wheel having on its periphery a series of thimbles each adapted to hold a wad, and intermittent feed mechanism for saiddisk, in

27. The wad-making device consisting of a traveling carrier, a thimble or cup rigid with relation thereto, a spindle within said thimble and concentric therewith, and having a bearing in said carrier, a wheel or roller secured to said spindle for rotating the same in said bearing, an ejector comprising a plunger sleeved upon the said spindle and capable of longitudinal movement with relation thereto, means for preventing independent rotation of said spindle and plunger; a cam connected to said plunger; a cam plate cooperating therewith to produce a rotary movement of the spindle; and means for pushing said plunger from its normal position behind the thimble into the said thimble, substantially as and for the purpose described.

28. The herein-described feeding device for the heads consisting of a hopper adapted to feed the shells head down into a chamber having an inclined floor,-an opening in the wall of said chamber at the lowermost part there a of, a' reciprocating gate for said opening hav-: ing a slot which permits the passage of heads therethrough one only at a time, and walls connected to said gate at the sides of said slot distance of which from the bottom of any givenrecess is substantiall'y'equal to the ,diameter of a head, an opening inthe side of said chute of such width as to admit the passage therethrough of a head, and a yielding spring-ac,- tuated gate adapted to close said opening,sub-- stantially'as' and for the purpose-described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL BUTLER. Witnesses:

ALB RLW. DAVID, Jns. B. RUSSELL. 

